The Trial

Chapter 3

My brother and his car were nowhere to be found, when I got to the parking lot. I sighed heavily and started walking home. he was probably still angry that I had bested him, again. our parents would've been proud of both of us. we lost them during the dark days a few years ago. that's how we lose most of our kind anymore. those three days consist of nothing but fear, fighting, and bloodshed on all sides. 

during the last dark days, we lost all but the last eight hunters that we knew of. our own numbers were cut in half, and hundreds of weakened, dying or dead vampires littered our grounds. they were turned to ash as the first rays of the sun graced us with its light, after three long days. 

my walk home took nearly an hour, but I was still productive with my time. I contemplated what I would say to the beast, when it was my turn. I calculated the precise place and time that I'd need to be. I had tried to decide what weapon, armor and attire I would need, but my conclusions and calculations kept leading me to one choice; no weapon, no armor, and something elegant and non-threatening. 

if I brought a weapon, he would feel challenged. armor would only put him on edge. if I wore anything that resembled a uniform, it would also put him on edge. by my understanding and knowledge of him, I needed to appear and act as a weak human, which wasn't a far stretch from the truth. 

by the time I got home, I had the perfect idea as to what I'd wear. my mothers wedding gown. i would need to change a few things on it, but it would be the exact opposite of anything to do with fighting. it was elegant and made of the finest silks. there were intricate designs with tiny beads worked into the stitching. 

when I stepped through the door, my whole body tensed. something was wrong. the house was too silent. Jamie wasn't here. I turned and went back outside, heading around the side of the house where he usual parked his car. it wasn't there. my mind began to race, and I felt myself starting to panic and worry. 

I rushed back inside and went to the kitchen, where we'd leave each other messages, if we weren't home when we were supposed to be. a note hung from the frig, and I immediately began to calm down. 

I'm working with Selene. I don't think I'll be home, before you have to leave. good luck. be strong and brave. I love you, kiddo. 
J

I wanted to say goodbye in person. this wasn't fair. unfortunately, it's all I had. he was all I had left, and I wanted him to be okay, if I didn't survive. we both knew I wasn't strong in the physical sense, but I was far beyond the intellect of that of the normal human. I pulled the note from the frig and began furiously writing. I told him how much I loved him and how much I wanted him to keep going if I didn't make it. when I was done, I hung the note back on the frig, fighting back tears, and went upstairs to our parents bedroom. 

I hadn't been in there in months. it was always hard to go in there, even for my brother. we had cleaned out a few of their things, trading them off for things we needed. I hesitated at the door, glancing around the room as fond memories resurfaced. with a heavy heart and an even heavier sigh, I went to my mother's closet and pulled out her wedding dress. it was still encased in the protective plastic bag that made so much noise when I removed it from the closet. 

as I left the room, pulling the door shut behind me, I wondered if she would be upset with me for taking her dress or for what I was planning on doing with it. I let the thought go, focusing on what I'd need to do with it. after taking it out of the bag, I slipped it on, so I could get a better idea of how much work I'd have to do. 

it was way too long, so I carefully trimmed the bottom off it, while i was still wearing it. it was a few sizes too big, so, after I spun the dress around on my body, I held the material tight against my body, bunching the material up, and carefully cut along excess fabric, leaving about an inch and a half of it to work with when I stitched it back together. everything was easily fixed with a few well placed cuts and stitches. the stitching wasn't as intricate as the ones that were already on the dress, but they'd be hidden. 

when I finished, I slipped the dress back on and was satisfied with my work. I made sure I had a full range of movement. I looked elegant, and I dare say that I almost looked beautiful. almost. I shook my head at myself and slipped it off. after showering, I carefully washed the dress and placed it in its bag, leaving it open to dry, until morning. after packing for the next few days, I went to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat, making enough for morning, so I could grab it and go. 

I'd have to get up extra early to make it to the training grounds building, before testing began, so I went to bed extra early.